


The Kiss of Life

by SelenaTerna



Series: Prompt Fics [11]
Category: Doctor Who & Related Fandoms, Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: F/M, Fluff, I'm hopeless, Kissed awake, Mentions of drugging, Nine gets mad, Romance, and stuff, but now it's like 500 words, mentions of people trafficking, this was actually meant to be a drabble
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-26
Updated: 2018-01-27
Packaged: 2019-03-09 17:02:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,453
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13485897
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SelenaTerna/pseuds/SelenaTerna
Summary: Rose is drugged on an alien planet and there's only one way to wake her.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> In response to an anonymous Tumblr drabble prompt 'Nine x Rose “Unbind me” from a sleeping curse/sleeping potion on an alien planet.' Obviously and as usual, it turned out a bit longer than that. I actually have a little bit that follows this so if people like this drabble I’ll post the rest. Hope you like!

“‘Scuse me? You’d better not be havin’ me on!”

The toga-clad man cringed. “I am in earnest, revered one.”

The Doctor folded his leather-clad arms and narrowed his eyes at the older man. “You’re seriously tellin’ me that Rose was drugged with some strange concoction I’ve never heard of (and _that’s_ rare enough, let me tell you!) only found on this planet, and that the only way  to save her is to kiss her?”

“Indeed, honoured Doctor. This is so. The _Dormans_ solution has been almost forgotten by our own people, it is not surprising that outsiders would never have heard of it. It caused so much trouble in the past that it was banned on pain of banishment centuries ago. If you care to consult the archives, however you will see that I am right- the unique biochemical composition of saliva and _Bimos_ solution are the only way to counter the effects of the _Dormans_ solution. Therefore either you or, if you will not, another must kiss her to recover her.”

“No!” the Doctor growled. “I’ll not let some stranger put his hands or _anythin_ ’ else on her, understand?”

“Then you must be the one, Honoured Doctor. There is no other choice.”

The Doctor looked down at Rose, who looked as though she were merely sleeping peacefully before turning turned back to the trembling man, blue eyes ablaze. “And the man who drugged her?”

“A slaver, honoured one. He has been punished, and he will not see the daylight again.”

“See to it that he doesn’t. If you ever even think about lettin’ him out…”

The alien quivered. “My word on it, Lord Doctor. He will never be free.”

The Doctor exhaled. “Alright, Proctor, we’ll play it your way for now. But if you’re lyin’ to me, if this is some kind of trick to trap the both of us here….” His blue eyes blazed.

“Upon my honour, most revered Doctor! I would not dare attempt to raise my hand against you! I speak the truth.”

The Doctor’s gaze burned into him for a moment longer before turning to Rose, hearing the other man scurry out of the room. He exhaled as he bent over her, the rage he felt at odds with the gentle way he brushed the hair from her face.

He had to kiss her.

He _wanted_ to, had done almost since the moment he met her, but he’d held back, never believing she could want him the way he wanted her, never wanting to taint her with his darkness. He’d dreamed of kissing her, of tasting those plump lips so many times, but never like this, never dreamed she’d have no choice in the matter, that he’d have to do it to save her from sleeping to death.

Could Rose ever forgive him?

He hoped so.

The alternative was too much to bear.

Taking a deep breath, he drew his face slowly to hers and kissed her.


	2. What Are You Sayin'?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rose awakens.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello lovelies! Since you all asked for it here's the last bit of this ficlet. I hope you all enjoy!

He tentatively pressed his lips to hers, hoping desperately that it would be enough to wake her, that he wouldn’t have to inflict any more on Rose than this brief touch.

It didn’t.

He exhaled nervously against her lips. The Proctor had said it was the combination of saliva and the potion on Rose’s lips that would wake her- a mere press of the lips wouldn’t be enough. Swallowing, he hesitantly parted his lips, wishing she could respond and hating how lifeless she was beneath him. Rose was so full of life and joy and energy and it was so very wrong that she had been reduced to this unnatural stillness.

But he could fix it.

He _would_ fix it.

All he could do was hope she wouldn’t hate him for it.

Taking a deep breath, he kissed her again, tenderly moving his mouth against her own, gently parting her unmoving lips with his. _Please wake up,_ he thought desperately, pouring every ounce of love and devotion in him into that kiss, worshipping the soft, velvety lips he’d dreamed of  kissing for so long. _Please_.

She had to wake up. _Had_ to.

She’d die if she didn’t.

And so would he. He’d never survive losing Rose.

And so he kissed her. 

He kissed her and kissed her and kissed her, hating that there was no response, even when he pushed his tongue gently into her mouth.

Finally moments (or hours) later, he felt the soft lips beneath his own begin to move, slowly.

He froze.

Before he could move away, a thousand half-formed apologies crowding his mind, Rose drew him closer with a soft moan of pleasure and the firm press of soft lips against his own.

Every last word flew out of his head and he groaned, kissing her _properly_ , as he’d dreamed of doing for many months, hearts pounding and joy and terror coursing through him in equal measure.

They kissed for what seemed to be forever and only separated when it became clear Rose needed to breathe. Panting, he drew back to look at her, almost afraid to see her reaction. What if she’d only kissed him out of reaction or instinct? How would she react now that she was awake? Would she hate him, broken, blood-stained old Time Lord that he was, for daring to touch her?

“Hello,” he said hesitantly, his hearts near to bursting with fear and hope and the all-consuming love for her that burned in him.

“Hello,” she said, smiling hesitantly at him. “What…where did that come from, then?”

“You were drugged,” he said, folding his arms to hide his fear. “The only way to wake you was to… kiss you.”

Her smile faded slightly. “A potion?”

“I’m sorry Rose. There was no other way,” he told her, his gut twisting at the thought that she might be angry with him after all. 

“Oh,” was all she said.

She _was_ angry.

“Rose, if I could have-”

“’S fine,” she broke in, moving to sit up and swaying slightly. “Don’t worry about it.”

“Rose-”

“Told you,” she broke in, voice wobbling slightly. “’S fine. I know you’d never have touched me if it hadn’t been for that potion,” she added almost bitterly.

He gaped at her, impossible thoughts racing in his head all the while. Was she angry because he’d kissed her? Or was she angry because she thought he _hadn’t_ wanted to kiss her?

Hope blazed brightly, suddenly, and he forced himself to speak, to take the risk.

“Never said that,” he said, watching her intently.

Rose looked away. “Was pretty obvious.”

“How d’you figure that, then?”

She sighed. “Do we have to do this, Doctor?”

“Humour me.”

“Doctor-”

“I never said I wouldn’t have touched you if it hadn’t been for the potion.”

“Yeah, you did,” she said, finally turning to look at him, her brown eyes full of hurt and something he was too afraid to name. “You said if there was any other way you’d have taken it.”

“Of course I would have.”

She growled in frustration. “That’s what I said. What-”

“Because you were unconscious,” he broke in, his hearts pounding with impossible hope. “You had no _choice_ , Rose.”

She froze. “What are you sayin’?”

“What d’you think I’m sayin’?” He countered, trying to hide his terror behind false bravado.

“I…” she shook her head. “I dunno.”

Reaching out a trembling hand, he gently caressed her cheek. “I’m sayin’ I didn’t want to lay so much as a finger on you when you couldn’t say no, when you had no choice in it. I’m sayin’ that if there had been any way to wake you without takin’ that choice from you, I would’ve taken it.”

“Oh,” she said softly. “I…is that all you’re sayin’?”

He swallowed. “No.”

“What else?” She breathed.

“I’m sayin’ that… if I kiss you, I want it to be because you want me to.”

“An’ what if I….what if I was sayin’ that?” The tremble in her voice gave him hope.

Could she?

“ _Are_ you sayin’ that?” His gently brought his other hand round and cupped her face in both hands, the flare of pleasure in her eyes more than he’d ever dared to hope for.

“Might be,” she said, placing her hands over his. “‘Sides, you might not have gotten all that potion the first time.”

His eyes flared and heat spread through his body even as his hearts thrilled, joy coursing through his veins. “Reckon you need a doctor, then.”

“Only one Doctor,” she said, turning her face to kiss his hand.

He swallowed, fighting the urge to crush her to him. “Yeah?”

“Yeah,” she said softly, tugging him closer, her lips a hair’s breadth away from his own. 

“Fantastic.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! Come follow me at countessselena.tumblr.com

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! Come follow me on Tumblr at countessselena.tumblr.com


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